


Of Equal Value

by fifteen_half



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-24
Updated: 2014-03-24
Packaged: 2018-01-16 20:47:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1361251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fifteen_half/pseuds/fifteen_half
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sugawara Koushi was, for all appearances, an average sophomore college student. He was living an earnest student's life, this time without the distraction of sports, and seemed pleased with it... until it was disrupted in the form of one Oikawa Tooru.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Equal Value

"Why aren't you going for the tryouts? Again?"  
  
Startled, Sugawara turned and found a slightly irritated Oikawa.  
  
"Um," was the only thing he could say. Still, what could he say? That he knows he'll be benched, so why bother? That he's _still_ hung up on his old team and kinda doesn't want to join another because it feels like betrayal?  
  
"Join," Oikawa commanded, like the grand king Hinata had labeled him as. "You love volleyball, don't you?"  
  
And before Sugawara could reply, Oikawa had already turned his back on him, and left.

 

xxx

They're both in their second year of college, and though they've seen each other around the campus, the two of them hardly ever acknowledged the other. Because while they did both know each other, there wasn't anything to talk about aside from volleyball, was there?  
  
"Sugawara-kun," one of his coursemates asked, amazement in his eyes, "How the hell do you know Oikawa Tooru?"  
  
Plus, there was _that_. While Sugawara took time to adjust to college, Oikawa didn't waste any and just bulldozed his way through. Before Sugawara even realized that they were studying in the same university, Oikawa's name was already being whispered in the hallways, girls young and old were flocking around him, people had already been caught in Oikawa Tooru's enchantment.  
  
Besides, taking what just happened aside, Sugawara hadn't even been sure Oikawa remembered him. He was just always so focused on Kageyama, that he hardly paid attention to anyone else.  
  
"Well?" another prompted.  
  
Chuckling a little, Sugawara answered, "It's nothing big. Our schools just happened to have a volleyball match, that's all. Oikawa was amazing, as he is now."  
  
"Oh, that's it?"  
  
Someone groaned from behind him, "Man, I thought you two were like, past rivals or something. That would've been cool! I've never seen him so pissed like that, even when playing."  
  
"It's not like Oikawa has any reason to be pissed in volleyball, though. I mean, have you ever heard of a first year regular on our volleyball team before? No one is as good as him!"  
  
"True! And," a hand patted him from behind, "I didn't even know you played before. What high school did you go to? You must not have been very good, huh?"  
  
Someone lightly slapped this guy, "Imaiyama-kun, that's mean! Just cause you got on the team last year! Besides, you're just a setter on B team, right?"  
  
"Hell, yeah! Stop being so condescending, Ima!"  
  
"I'll rise up, you'll see!" Imaiyama retorted, "With Oikawa injured--,"  
  
"Aww, don't remind us! We were so close to winning last year, too! I really hope he's okay now..."  
  
"Tough luck! His injury was really bad, right? I hear he's still doing therapy! This year might not be good for us."  
  
And as his coursemates bickered around him, Sugawara fell silent. It wasn't that he didn't think he was good. He was confident in his strength, but--  
  
Just why did he stop playing?

 

xxx

  
"Sorry for calling so late."  
  
 _"You're annoying. Like I said, it's fine. What's up, Suga?"_  
  
"..."  
  
 _"Suga?"_  
  
"I kinda miss playing."  
  
 _"..."_  
  
"I don't even know why I stopped in the first place. I love volleyball. I really, really love volleyball. Karasuno was so great on our last year that I loved it even more. I was even excited about entering this school, cause they have a great team, you know! But when I watched them play..."  
  
 _"You thought, 'But it's not Karasuno,' and chickened out, right?"_  
  
"..."  
  
 _"Suga, if you keep spacing out on me I'll hang up."_  
  
"Daichi, I hate you."  
  
On the other end of the line, Daichi laughed, _"That's what friends are for! Just go for it, Suga. You're over-thinking things again! It's not our team. It's not us. But it's still volleyball. Be thankful our oddball combo is busy with their own first years, if they know you've been hesitating..."_  
  
"Oh god, please don't tell them!"  
  
Hearing Daichi laugh like he was dying, Suga smiled.  
  
It won't be the same. But it's still volleyball.

 

xxx

Being in the tryouts was a pain.  
  
Sure it was advantageous because he could put in a word or two, and there might be a genius he could make it harder for, but his time could've been spent with other, more beneficial things! Things like going to that goukon Mayu-chan set up! Or eating out with his gorgeous female senpais for dinner! The list of people wanting to join the team just kept going on and on and on! It was a strong and famous team, and one of the favorites to win (except they hadn't exactly won for five years now), but seriously, the list was just ridiculous!  
  
"All right, you guys! Next is testing for positions. All wing spikers go with the captain. Middle blockers, with Hanya. Setters," at this the coach pointed in his direction, "with the vice and Oikawa, liberos--,"  
  
Sighing, he too followed his senpai and looked resignedly around. Their vice captain, a kind and quiet guy, began by letting the setter hopefuls introduce themselves. He had been subject to this last year too, despite already knowing he had a spot, and was told that it was the vice captain's way of letting everyone calm down. Still, with quite a lot of them here, it was getting so boring he was about to go crazy when,  
  
"Sugawara Koushi. 2nd year. Last volleyball team was in high school, in Karasuno."  
  
Oikawa's smile went feral when his and Sugawara's eyes met. How odd that he hadn't noticed the other until now. But then again, not so much. Karasuno's Sugawara's weapon was just that, after all. He was so small and fragile and unassuming that people always, always underestimated him. And once they realize how much they've been duped by it, it would have already been too late.  
  
Oikawa himself almost made that mistake after all. He was just lucky that Sugawara hadn't been as confident as he was the next time they had a match.  
  
"Karasuno, huh?" the vice captain, Mizuguchi Yuuki, mused. "That's the school with Kageyama Tobio, right? And Hinata Shouyou?"  
  
Sugawara nodded, "Yes, they were my teammates when they were in their first year."  
  
Trying to be kind, Mizuguchi smiled and said, "Must have been hard to be on a team with a setter like that."  
  
Sugawara just laughed, already used to those words. But from his vantage point in front, Oikawa could already see the pitying gazes thrown in Sugawara's direction.  
  
Oikawa grinned. Oh, how he looked forward to their stunned faces!

 

xxx

As expected, Sugawara Koushi was accepted into the team.  
  
Truthfully, in terms of skill, Sugawara could never match up to him or Tobio. In fact, he never really thought much about the other, until that match where Tobio was substituted. Because while Tobio was a genius, and he himself was the kind of setter that could draw out the strengths of his teammates, Sugawara Koushi was a damn cunning setter. He was observant and highly analytical, able to pick apart an opposing team's strength to find their weaknesses. Most of all, during the times when he'd come into play, Sugawara would use these effectively, giving quick and precise instructions to his team, snatching point after point after point.  
  
While it was true that Sugawara was not a setter of his or Tobio's caliber, it didn't mean that he had lesser value.  
  
"Find an acceptable setter yet? Coach hasn't."  
  
Crashing on the chair beside him, Nishikawa Sei, their captain, looked at him questioningly.  
  
"I might have~," he teased, grinning at the disgusted frown on his captain's face. "But seriously? I don't know yet."  
  
"Ujima's dependable. If you don't know, he's the setter you repla--,"  
  
"Replaced. I know, I know! Why do you keep on reminding me?"  
  
"--ced. To remind you of your place, freshie!"  
  
"Uh-huh. Are you sure it's not because my fangirls are greater than yours?" Wagging a finger in front of the captain's face, Oikawa teased, "Your jealousy is unbecoming, you know~."  
  
"Whatever. Back to Ujima--,"  
  
"He's really good but his personality is... well, it leaves a lot to be desired."  
  
Sei nodded, "His skills are exceptional, but he just isn't a team-player. Still, it seems we're gonna have to go with him 'cause of your injury. I hate to say this, because he is still part of the team but, is there really no one else?"  
  
"If the coach hasn't found someone, then how would I? Besides, we haven't really seen the new ones play in the first place."  
  
Suddenly silent, Sei hummed thoughtfully before replying, "Okay then, let's do it. First and second years versus third and fourth years. Everyone will be playing, regulars included."  
  
"Ha??" Oikawa nearly yelled, surprised, "Sei-san... You do know something like this could cause a rift in the team, right?"  
  
"Sure," the captain carelessly replied, "Besides, even though we've been viewed as a strong team, we've only ever reached the semi-finals right? If we don't change something, then we'll never improve, and we'll never win."  
  
And with that, Nishikawa Sei, the most frustrating, most mind-boggling, most interesting captain he ever had, stood up and went towards the coach.  
  
Oikawa stared after the captain, then he grinned as he shook his head.  
  
 _Well_ , Oikawa thought, _at least things will get more interesting._

 

xxx

A few days later, the coach made things even more interesting.  
  
With the previous seniors graduating, there were three places left open on the A team. It didn't mean that you'd be a starting player, but at least there was a chance of being substituted in. And so, from the wacky idea of the captain in search of a setter, the coach took it a notch higher and made it a search for three players to place in team A.  
  
"With the help of your captain and vice, we will form 4 teams of 10 based on your stats and performance till now. This might not be an official game, but play it seriously because it will affect your standing within the team. Freshies, use this as a chance to show us what you can do and how we can make use of you. Everyone else, use this opportunity to show us how much you've grown. That's all. See you all tomorrow and good luck."

 

xxx

Sugawara didn't know whether to be happy or devastated after learning that he and Oikawa were on the same team.  
  
He never really thought of getting into the A team either. He had just started after all, so he was prepared to work hard for a while on team B. But then this sort of opportunity happened, and his thoughts were thrown in disarray. Daichi always said that over-thinking was his weakness, but seriously, just when he was pumped up by getting this chance, he was put in a team with Oikawa in it!  
  
A better, well-trusted setter versus a virtually unknown, average one? There was no contest!  
  
But then,  
  
"Heee~eey, Sugawara-kun! Apparently, Sawamura-san won a bet or something over Iwa-chan and forced him to force me to tell you that you shouldn't overthink things. And that I may be better, but that doesn't mean that you aren't too, and that you just have to play because it's still volleyball. I'm noooot too sure I'm the right messenger for that, but it is true. We may play differently, but volleyball is a team sport-- everyone is of equal value. Anyway, my job's done! Now Iwa-chan won't have an excuse to hit me the next time we meet! Let's have a good game, okay!"  
  
Stunned, Sugawara stared wide-eyed at Oikawa, then smiled.  
  
"Thank you! Let's have a good game!"  
  
He had a million thoughts before this, but now the only thought left was: _Daichi, I will get you for this later!_

 

xxx

 _"Thank you! Let's have a good game!"_  
  
Oikawa had only ever seen Sugawara on the side, cheering frantically for his teammates. Or on the other side of the net, a calm yet meek-seeming presence that belied a creative mind. As such, this was the first time he's ever seen such an expression on the other, and it left him with a seed of curiosity.  
  
He had long ago acknowledged that Sugawara was an interesting setter. Now though, it seemed that he may be an interesting _person_ as well.  
  
...which shouldn't be a surprise, really. This was the guy who changed Tobio in less than a set after all.  
  
Actually, how in the world did someone like Sugawara change someone like Tobio anyway?  
  
Oikawa grinned. Iwa-chan might hit him for it later, but if Iwaizumi never finds it out, then...

 

xxx

They won. 3 out of 3.  
  
A day later, Sugawara was now part of team A.  
  
Sugawara thanked him for it after.  
  
"What for?"  
  
"You let me play, even when no one else wanted me to."  
  
Oikawa shrugged, "My ankle was starting to hurt. Injured, remember?"  
  
Sugawara laughed, but the merriment didn't reach his eyes. "Yeah. Still, thanks."  
  
Oikawa was surprised to realize that it hurt.  
  
The other boy was nearly gone when he shouted, "Sugawara!"  
  
He stopped and looked questioningly at Oikawa.  
  
"It wasn't just that! It wasn't just because my ankle was starting to hurt!"  
  
Walking towards the other boy because people were starting to look at him strangely, Oikawa, for the first time in a long, long while, felt his face heating up in embarrassment.  
  
"I asked to be subbed out with you not just because of my ankle. I did it, because I knew that I could trust you. We're different kinds of setters, but that doesn't mean that you're of lesser value."  
  
Sugawara blinked owlishly at him for a second, then he smiled brightly up at him.  
  
"Thank you! That... kind of means a lot to me. Iwaizumi-kun told me told be wary of you, but he was just joking, wasn't he? See you at practice later then!"  
  
Sugawara smiled brightly at him once more before turning to leave.  
  
Oikawa sighed. No wonder Tobio changed so quickly.  
  
Who in the world could win against that??

 

**Author's Note:**

> I know that Oikawa only has eyes for his cute little kohai, but at that first Aobajousai vs. Karasuno match, there were moments where Oikawa seemed to respect Suga-san's playmaking. He never said it outright but the sentiment was there I think! I thought that was interesting, and so this was born.


End file.
